More than a 1000 SANDF soldiers convicted in 12 months

Durban - The South African National Defence Force has arrested more than 100 and convicted more than 1000 soldiers in the past 12 months.

These figures were released by the SANDF barely two weeks after three soldiers were arrested for fraud amounting to R1.1 million.

In a statement, SANDF spokesperson, Brigadier General Mafi Mgobhozi said the men were arrested in Gauteng at the Air Force headquarters.

“The three accused face charges of defrauding the state on Item 40 (discounting leave) to the value of R1.1 million, Subsistence and Travel Allowance fraud using forged signatures and submission of fraudulent accommodation (guest house)Invoices,” he said.

“In the past 12 months 106 SANDF members were arrested, 1705 convicted in the Court of Military Judge and Court of Senior Military Judge,” Mgobozi said.

The SANDF, however, did not specify which type of charges were soldiers convicted of.

Last year 11 SANDF members were found guilty by a military court of abusing an 11-year-old boy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The soldiers assaulted the boy after they believed that he was responsible for stealing their buckets and plastic basins belonging to the SANDF.

The SANDF is deployed as a part of a peacekeeping force of United Nations soldiers in war-torn parts of the DRC.